Pipe cleaning machine



March 15, 1932. W, F, NlEMANN 1,849,201

PIPE C.|El\.I1IGr` MACHINE Filed Sept. l5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l l? Il19 Ijaa FIGA zl/L

rro r March .15', 1932. w. F. NIEMANN PIPE CLEANING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1930 umm .5. 35 Supp Patented Mar. 15, 1932 W'ILYLIAIVIv NIEMAIN N, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA VPIPE CLEANING imitneuivnA Application filed September 15, 1930.` Serial No. 481,866.

' The object ofV my invention is to provide a means for4 cheaply and expeditiously freeing thelouter surface of pipe from accumula-v tions of scale, rust, hardened earth or asphalt. 5 The device of my invention is particularly adapted to the cleaning'of pipes of large diameter and may be used either on separated joints `of pipe, as in a pipe yard, or on pipe lines in place.

As shown in device may be separated longitudinally and may thus be applied to apipe ina trench, as for instance a pipe line which requires repainting, thus saving the cost of disjointing the pipe. If used in a pipe yard, where the pipe is necessarily already disjointed, the machine may be mounted permanently and the pipe joints fed through it from an end without opening the machine.

In the attached drawings and ing description thereof: Y

Fig. l is a longitudinal view of the machine from the side, the lower half being shown in elevation and the upper in section; Fig. 2 is an elevattion of the left end of Fig. 1. i

the followthe upper half being shown in elevation the lower half in cross section, and

Fig. 4. is a detail of the carriage feed release indicated at 23 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the figures, 10 is a frame divided longitudinally into halves'fastened together by the bolts 11. 4 One end of this frame orts a bevel gear 12 which is -driven by a bevel pinion 13. The bearings by which this pinion is supported are integral with orv made fast to the frame 10 and thepinion is driventhrough a shaft 13b from any convenient source of power not shown. Y In case the ma-V chine is portable, as for use on pipe lines, the prime mover may be mounted on the frame or the power may be conveyed to the pinion shaft 13b through a flexible shaft.

The gear 12 is divided into halves which .are provided with mating lugs 12b and are assembled by means of the screws 120 into a continuous ring.V journalled in a groove 12b formed in the end f of frame 10. On revolving this gear until Fig. 3 1s an end view of the knife carriages,`

the appended drawings, theV The ring thus formed isv the joint is horizontal and removing screws 120 the frame may be separated by removing will remain in the respective halves of the frame. Y

The bevel gear 12 also has spur gear teeth bolts '11- andr the halves of theA gear 12E formed on its pair offeed screws 15 are supported at their left end by projections 14V from'the left end of the frame andcarry spur gear 16 which mesh with the teeth 12E and are retained by. lock nuts 417. At their opposite orv right end the lead screws aresupported by projections 18 and are restrained against end movement by lfoclrnuts 19 and washers 19?). Theframe is locked to the pipe, which is.y indicated screws 20, of which three or more vided at each end ofthe frame.

a sectionof at A, by means of set may bepro- A clearance sufficient to enable the end blocks of the frame aswell as the carriage block to slide over ,a pipe collar may b e allowed andthe pipe may bev centered set screws.

as well-as locked by means of these Y The knife carriage shown in Fig. 3 andat B in Fig. ,l consistsrfrst of ltwo blocks 21 loosely encircling the pipe A' and fastened-tocircumferential face.` A. j

gether by means of bolts 11b. lTo these blocks v the subfblocks 21?)v lare made fast by bolts. 216.l

,Into theseblocks are grooved the feed ,nuts -22 which, as shown 1n Fig.,3, are formed in mating' 'halves v Vadapted tov clasp about j ther feed screwfl. v A hand lever -23epivoted o n a screw .pipe 24;is provided'with arcuate engaging A grooves 24?) Y the heads of screws 240.

" VOn `a .movement ofthe lever in a horizontal plane .the/grooves acting on the screw heads draw the halvesof the feed nut 22 into engagementfwith versa. c

the threads of feedscrew 15 orvice y The knives 25 are formed to fit the curvature of the pipe A andaresupportedjin such manner asto be-positively' driven` forward by blocks 21, as by'meansof the ,recess 25?) and .the slotted'lug250 (Fig. l1) which latter-is integral lwith the pressed against block` 21.` rlhe knives lare the'Y-p'ipeby 'stid springs 26,. c

theten'sion of vwhichmay beadj usted by the screws 27 A pluralityof knivesis provided,

enough to completely encircle the of such'len'gth as to slightly' overlap,

pipes. and

for this CTI purpose the edges of the knives being arranged in two or more circles.

The L shaped straps indicated at 28 serve at once to connect and space the two fixed ends of the machine and to act as guards for the feed screws.

The device of my invention is operated as follows. v First, the lever 23 is thrown' into such position as to separate the halves of the feed nuts 22 and the block 21 carrying these nuts is moved to the left as far as it will go within the frame. The set screws 20 are also backed up until their pivots are withdrawn into the end blocks 10. j

If a separated joint of pipe is to be cleaned it is now inserted from either end of the machine and its left end centered and firmly clamped in the left end of the device by adjusting set screws 20. If the pipe is in place, as in a pipe line,so that a free end is not available, the machine is separated into halves by withdrawing bolts 11 and 1lb and screws 12C and thus assembled around the pipe. Lever 23 is then moved in such direction as to clamp feed nuts 22 about feed screw 15.

The right hand end of the machine having been clamped to the pipe, the left or driving end is similarly centered and clamped. Pinion shaft 13b is now rotated left hand, driving bevel gear 12 right handed, this gear in turn rotating feed gears 16 left handed.

By this rotation of the gears 16 and the attached feed screws 15 the carriage is forced to the right, carrying with it the knives 25 which, being pressed against the pipe by the springs 26, follow the surface of the metal and remove all scale or other adherent material. Y

When the carriage reaches the right end of the frame the revolution of the drive pinion 13b is stopped, the feed nuts 22 released from the feed screws, the set screws 20 released from the pipe and, without moving the carriafge, the frame is moved to the yright until the carriage is again'at the left end of the frame. The set screws arerthen again tightened and the feed screws again revolved to clean another section of pipe as above described.

When a collar is reached in cleaning a pipe line the screws 27 may be backed out sufficiently to allow the knives to pass over the collar, which will pass through the end blocks of the frame when advancing it at the end of a cut.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pipe cleaning machine comprising a frame, means lto secure the frame to a pipe so as to secure said pipe against rotation with respect thereto; a pair of feedscrews at opposite sides of said frame and revolvable therein; means for revolving said feed screws; fa carriage adapted to surround said pipe and to be moved longitudinally thereon by means of said feed screws; means for engaging and for releasing the operative connection between said feed screws and said carriage, and a plurality of scraping knives affixed to said carriage their edges being turned substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the pipe and overlapped so that the entire pipe circumference is touched by knife edges.

2. Apipe cleaning machine comprising: a frame having means to immovably aiix the same to a pipe; a carriage surrounding said pipe within said frame; a plurality of scraping knives affixed to said carriage, the cutting edges thereof being substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the pipe and overlapping to touch the entire circumference of the pipe, and means foil moving said carriage longitudinally within said frame.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of September, 1930.

` WILLIAM F. NIEMANN. 

